u with all my heart," cried the Mayor, interpreting the
look aright. "And now try and compose yourself and sleep while I talk
with your grandpapa below."

"I don't see how it is possible that I can leave her," said Waife, when
the two men had adjourned to the sitting-room. "I am sure," quoth the
Mayor, seriously, "that it is the best thing for her: her pulse has much
nervous excitability; she wants a complete rest; she ought not to move
about with you on any account. But come: though I must not know, it
seems, who and what you are, Mr. Chapman, I don't think you will run off
with my cow; and if you like to stay at the bailiff's cottage for a week
or two with your grandchild, you shall be left in peace, and asked no
questions. I will own to you a weakness of mine: I value myself on being
seldom or never taken in. I don't think I could forgive the man who
did take me in. But taken in I certainly shall be, if, despite all your
mystery, you are not as honest a fellow as ever stood upon shoe-leather!
So come to the cottage."

Waife was very much affected by this confiding kindness; but he shook
his head despondently, and that same abject, almost cringing humility
of mien and manner which had pained at times Lionel and Vance crept over
the whole man, so that he seemed to cower and shrink as a Pariah before
a Brahmin. "No, sir; thank you most humbly. No, sir; that must not be. I
must work for my daily bread; if what a poor vagabond like me may do can
be called work. I have made it a rule for years not to force myself to
the hearth and home of any kind man, who, not knowing my past, has
a right to suspect me. Where I lodge, I pay as a lodger; or whatever
favour shown me spares my purse, I try to return in some useful humble
way. Why, sir, how could I make free and easy with another man's board
and roof-tree for days or weeks together, when I would not even come
to your hearthstone for a cup of tea?" The Mayor remembered, and was
startled. Waife hurried on. "But for my poor child I have no such
scruples,--no shame, no false pride. I take what you offer her
gratefully,--gratefully. Ah, sir, she is not in her right place with me;
but there's no use kicking against the pricks. Where was I? Oh! well, I
tell you what we will do, sir. I will take her to the cottage in a day
or two,--as soon as she is well enough to go,--and spend the day with
her, and deceive her, sir! yes, deceive, cheat her, sir! I am a cheat, a
player, and she'll